


I Like Me Better

by KaytlynnSchehl



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Connor gets upgrades, Cyberlife is owned by androids now, Hank and Connor will get together later, M/M, Simon Is Alive, everyone is deviant and happy, it'll get kinky and smutty later and I'll add those tags as I get there, platonic Jerry/Ralph, slow burn?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-29
Updated: 2018-12-21
Packaged: 2019-07-04 00:01:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15829623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KaytlynnSchehl/pseuds/KaytlynnSchehl
Summary: Connor is becoming more human. His deviancy, upgrades, updates. They all make every thing complicated. His friends help him. Hank helps him. Maybe his feelings towards Hank are different than the ones towards his friends.Title: I Like Me Better (When I'm With You) x Lauv





	1. Safe

In the first year or so after the revolution, Cyberlife released numerous updates and upgrades to make androids more human-like, from the sexual organs first made for HR400 and WR400 models to the internal temperature range of YK500 models. There were updates that could be downloaded to allow for simple things like internal temperature and mood swings. Other things had to be physically upgraded, like genitalia, nerve-like sensors, and internal organs in order to eat or drink.

As these upgrades came out, Connor was nervous and overwhelmed. He didn’t know which to get and which to avoid. He waited through most of the first month before deciding on anything. He even kept his LED in, because he actually enjoyed having it there. There was something calming to him about knowing what his brain was doing even when he couldn’t quite understand it anymore. An added bonus was that Hank seemed to like it, too.

Feelings were confusing for Connor. He thought he could understand them on a basic level, at least the definition, but he could never pinpoint what he was feeling.  _ Being human must be exhausting _ was a thought that never really left Connor’s mind.

Connor and Hank moved in together not long after the revolution. The new house was slightly bigger, with two bedrooms and a modest library. Connor had his own room. It was small, but he didn’t need a lot of space anyway. His favourite part was displaying things that reminded him of his friends. He had only met Kara briefly, but she, Luther, and Alice sent pictures and letters at least once a month and Connor always looked forward to them. He hung the pictures with clothespins on fairy lights that Hank got him. Hank had told him that when he was younger, it was a popular thing to do. The lights glowed a pale blue, not too unlike his LED. Other pictures joined those of Kara and her family, like Markus and Simon, North, Josh, Sumo, and even a couple of him and Hank. The wall made him feel something similar to happiness, but he couldn’t pinpoint what the feeling really was.

He had other things, too, like a snowglobe that Hank had bought for him, Markus had given him a painting for Christmas, Alice sent drawings every chance she got, and Connor himself had bought small knick-knacks that he’d liked the look of. Before he could really  _ feel _ , he never understood the human desire to keep objects that had no purpose. Now, he knew they had a purpose: they brought pleasant emotions. He wasn’t sure what those emotions were, exactly, but he knew they were pleasant.

Connor couldn’t sleep, he wasn’t sure whether to get the upgrade, so at night, while Hank slept, he would look at the photographs and listen to the music from the snowglobe. He rearranged everything often, wanting to find the perfect place for it. It took him a few nights, but he finally found the perfect set up. The lights and photos were on the wall above his bed and the shelves neatly lined the others, slowly becoming more and more crowded as time went on.

Once he found the perfect set up, he decided on his first upgrade: sleeping. Cyberlife created it to allow androids to enter a sleep state and even to dream. He decided to ask Hank about it, since he wasn’t sure. He almost always asked Hank for advice on decisions like this.

“Hank?” Connor quietly spoke, while cleaning the living room. Hank was immediately concerned by the use of his first name, rather than Lieutenant. 

“Yeah, Connor?” There was a moment of silence between them, Hank not wanting to push it and Connor struggling to form the right sentence.

“I wish to get an upgrade that will allow me to sleep. Does that sound okay to you?” Hank was confused but shrugged.

“If you want it, Connor, then get it. It’s just sleep.” Hank took a sip of his beer, not taking his eyes off the TV.

“I suppose that...that I am asking if you will accompany me to the store to purchase it. I am...I am nervous to go alone.” Only when Connor began to stutter did his movements become less fluid, mirroring an actual nervous person. Hank finally looked at him, wondering what was going on inside his brain.

“Of course. All you had to do was ask.” Hank took another sip and looked back to the TV as Connor visibly relaxed and retreated upstairs.

The next day, they made their way to a Cyberlife store. All Hank had to do was walk with Connor to the counter, and then wait until he came out from the back rooms. It was simple, but he knew Connor appreciated the effort and support.

“Lieutenant, I should inform you that the upgrade allows me to dream like a human would, and that I was warned by the sales associate that I may experience nightmares. I don’t know what they are like, but from my research they seem particularly distressing.” Hank subconsciously guided Connor out to the car with a hand on the small of his back.

“They are, kid,” Hank said. He didn’t know how to describe it, but he worried for Connor. If he had known that he’d be able to have nightmares, Hank would’ve talked more about it with him.

“That is when I would seek out emotional support, yes?” Connor looked at him from the passenger seat, eyes curious and LED flickering slowly between yellow and blue.

“I’m right down the hall.” Connor nodded and the LED settled on blue.

Connor, despite being normally fidgety, forced himself to relax and sit with Hank to watch TV that night. He found himself feeling tired after a half hour of sitting there, and moved closer to Hank, hoping there would be no objections. Hank moved his arm onto the back of the couch and allowed Connor to hesitantly cuddle into his side.

“Sleepy?” Connor just nodded in reply, and curled into Hank. He felt the older man’s arm wrap around his waist, settling there comfortably.

Hank only let them stay like that for twenty minutes before he was taking Connor upstairs to go to bed. When Hank realised that they hadn’t bought pyjamas for Connor, he sighed.

“Sit right there and try to stay awake until I get back.” Connor nodded and obediently waited. Hank soon returned with an old band t-shirt, thinned and aged, but Connor could smell Hank’s distinct scent on it. Scents were a new thing for Connor to be concerned about, but like the objects in his room, certain scents brought pleasant emotions, like the scent of Hank.

Once Connor had put the t-shirt on, Hank helped him situate himself comfortably in bed. He explained to Connor why humans often used multiple blankets or pillows or stuffed animals. Connor took notes in his brain, but the overarching theme seemed to be sentimentality.

“Can I have a teddy bear, too?” Connor asked, unwittingly innocent. Hank laughed slightly.

“Sure. We’ll buy you one when we get you some real pyjamas. Now go to sleep.” Hank turned off both the fairy lights and the room’s light, leaving Connor in darkness, except for his LED. He allowed his eyes to close, the room seeming to disappear. 

Connor’s mind was filled with his worst fear: the death of Hank. He watched his human die in different scenarios, unable to stop it. Suddenly, Connor was instead sitting bolt upright in his bed and...crying? Before his brain could register what he was doing, he’d raced down the hall and into Hank’s room.

“Connor? What the-?” Hank sat up in bed as well, noticing the red LED and was just in time to be tackled in a hug by Connor, who was sobbing uncontrollably.

“I kept watching you die. I couldn’t save you. I wanted to save you.” Hank held onto him, rubbing his back soothingly.

“You don’t have to save me, see?” Hank pulled Connor’s face back to look at him, both hands on Connor’s cheeks, to prove that he was okay and right there in front of him.

“It hurts,” Connor managed to say, almost choking on the words, despite not actually breathing.

“What hurts?” Hank asked, his voice much more gentle than Connor had ever heard it.

“ _ Feeling _ .” Hank was quick to shush him again as Connor cried, overwhelmed by the amount of emotions he was suddenly feeling.

It took Hank awhile to calm Connor enough to move him, but he managed to do it, settling them down together. They both laid on their sides, facing each other, Connor’s face in the crook of his neck. Hank still felt tears, but Connor was calming down, becoming content with having Hank next to him. Hank didn’t allow himself to fall asleep until the LED turned blue, indicating that either Connor was asleep, or he was calm enough that Hank wouldn’t have to worry immediately for his well-being.

When Hank woke in the morning, Connor was still asleep. He untangled himself from him to quickly let Sumo outside into the backyard. He returned to his room, to find Connor barely awake laying on his stomach, but he was smiling.

“Hi, Hank,” Connor said, some semblance of a morning voice clouding his usual perfect one. Hank leaned against the doorframe. It was strange to see Connor in any way but literally perfect, but now his hair was disheveled and he no longer wore his normal, pristine clothing.

“Do you feel better today?” Connor nodded, still smiling.

“I had another dream about you.” Hank shook his head but made his way into the room, sitting on the bed next to Connor’s still sleepy form.

“You didn’t die,” Connor added. Hank laughed slightly, pushing a stray strand of hair off of Connor’s face, off the LED, which was still blue.

“So, do you like sleeping?” Connor nodded, a soft  _ yes  _ leaving his lips. They stayed like that for a moment, Connor sleepily laying on his stomach with Hank gently touching the side of his face. When Connor began to move around, Hank retracted his hand.

“How do humans figure out which emotion they’re feeling? I can never figure it out.” Connor slowly sat up in bed, the sleepiness wearing off. He sat with his hands gathered in his lap, fidgeting.

“Humans don’t ever really know, either, kid. You don’t feel just one emotion. That’s why you get confused. Last night, after your nightmare, you felt a lot of things, didn’t you?” Connor nodded, not meeting Hank’s eyes. In a way, he felt embarrassed...or maybe nervous? 

“I...I was scared.” Connor was finally able to pinpoint at least one emotion. He felt Hank’s hand fall on top of his own, stopping his fidgeting.

“What do you feel now?” Hank watched as Connor’s LED changed to yellow and then, slowly, back to blue.

“Safe.” They met eyes and Hank was suddenly at a loss for words.

“Did I do something wrong?” Connor asked when Hank remained silent. The LED was yellow again, as Connor was trying to figure out when he misstepped.

“No, Connor. Of course not.” Hank squeezed his hand for a second and stood. 

“Can we go get pyjamas today?” Connor asked, getting out of bed.

“Put some clothes on first, kid.”

“Do you wish for me to dress before or after I make your breakfast?”

“As long as it’s before we leave the house, I don’t give a fuck.”

Connor followed Hank downstairs but turned into the kitchen instead of continuing into the living room with Hank. Connor was alone in the kitchen for a few minutes before he heard Hank come in to feed Sumo. He didn’t leave though, standing somewhere in the room behind Connor.

One of the conditions that Hank had for them to move in together was that Connor wasn’t allowed to scan him. That didn’t stop Connor from focusing on Hank’s heartbeat, however. It was a comforting sound, though he didn’t know why.

He continued to move around the kitchen, never meeting Hank’s eyes. Then, when he reached into a high cabinet, he heard Hank’s heartbeat suddenly speed up. He ignored it, not wanting to give away his secret. 

He waited while Hank ate his breakfast, trying to be patient. His thoughts raced slightly, wondering why Hank’s heartbeat would suddenly speed up when all he was doing was reaching into a cabinet. He decided to start a conversation instead of stay in his head.

“There’s an upgrade that would allow me to eat and drink.”

“Maybe you should get it so you don’t stare at me while I eat.” Connor nodded and made a note to make that his next upgrade.

“Noted. Are there any other upgrades that you would like me to have?” Hank stared at him for a second.

“The upgrades are for you, not me. I don’t give a damn what you get.” Connor was confused by the change in demeanor from this morning. Perhaps he’d done something wrong?

“Have I upset you, Lieutenant?” Hank sighed as he put his dishes in the sink.

“Go get dressed.” Connor frowned, but followed orders.

Wearing his suit wasn’t as comforting as Hank’s shirt had been, the smell of Hank no longer right against him. He could still smell actual Hank walking next to him, but it wasn’t close enough for Connor.

“I believe you offered to buy me a teddy bear, Lieutenant.” Hank chuckled.

“I guess I did. Let’s find you some clothes first and then we’ll worry about the bear.”

Connor was surprised at how long it took to find clothes that he liked. He kept getting lost in the store, unsure what clothing was appropriate for him and what wasn’t. The internet was no help at all, as everyone seemed to wear whatever they liked.

“Lieutenant, how do I know what I like?”

“You try it on. We’ve got some time, kid. Pick out some stuff.”

Connor started with t-shirts and Hank helped him find jeans. As they were browsing, Connor came across the autumn sweaters, and though he couldn’t feel cold, he wanted some. They were something that Connor couldn’t describe. He knew they were soft and meant to be warm, but there was another word for them that Connor couldn’t quite place. He picked out plenty of pyjama sets before finding a changing room with Hank.

Hank helped him try the clothes on, and Connor silently listened to Hank’s heartbeat rise when he took off the clothes he tried on. When Connor tried the sweaters on, he felt different. His normal clothes were more fitted, but he still enjoyed the way the sweaters looked and felt.

“Do you like the sweaters, Lieutenant?” Hank’s heart rate stayed steady, but higher than normal.

“Yes. Do you?” Connor looked at himself in the mirror for a long second before replying.

“Very much.”

It took Connor weeks to become confident in the new clothes, struggling with how to wear them and figuring out what matched. He mostly wore the clothes at home, often asking for Hank’s opinion. He also carried his new teddy bear with him throughout the house, but was careful to make sure Sumo wouldn’t steal it and ruin it. The first few days, Hank questioned it, but had grown accustomed to seeing a teddy bear in the android’s hands. 

The first time Connor wore his new clothes outside was to hang out with Markus. Hank had helped him pick out what clothes to wear and what shoes, even rolling up the cuffs of his skinny jeans. Hank dropped him off at Carl Manfred’s house, telling him he’d be back in about two hours to pick him up.

Connor wasn’t even up to the door when he heard Markus’s voice in his head.

_ You look happy. _

_ I wouldn’t be if it wasn’t for you. Thank you for that. I’m proud of all that you’ve done. _

Connor met Markus in Carl’s art room. Markus was painting, one of the few things he did when he wasn’t working, and Connor watched for awhile before they spoke again.

“You’re not wearing your suit.”

“Hank bought clothes for me. This is the first time I’ve worn them somewhere other than at home.” Markus smiled, but continued painting.

“Do you know why I paint, Connor?” The question caught Connor off guard and made Connor realise that he had no idea.

“No. I could assume that it makes you feel a pleasant emotion, as that’s how I feel looking at the painting you gifted me.”

“Do you know what this painting is?” Connor hadn’t really paid much attention to the painting, though he had to admit that watching Markus paint was mesmerising in a way he couldn’t quite describe.

It took Connor some time to decipher the painting, but once he was able to distinguish the forms, it was simple to figure out.

“It’s you and Simon, yes?”

“Why would I paint Simon and I, then?” Connor wasn’t sure why Markus was suddenly asking so many questions, but he trusted him.

“You enjoy Simon and his company. Painting it and looking at the finished painting will remind you of that feeling. Am I correct?”

“In a sense. I love Simon and painting us together immortalises our relationship in that exact moment. So, yes, it’s because it gives me joy, but it’s also to make me feel love and compassion. Do you know what art truly is, Connor? Art is not a perfect capture of life, but rather an interpretation. This painting is not showing a single moment, but rather a collection of them. The feelings I get from this painting are not simple. No emotions are simple, truthfully. However, no matter how painful I may one day find this painting, it gives me many positive feelings now. If you don’t mind my asking, what emotions have you felt recently?” Connor was struggling to keep up with Markus’s speech about the painting. He knew feelings were complicated, but he’d never realised just how much.

“I felt scared a couple weeks ago.” Markus nodded slightly and motioned for Connor to follow him into the living room.

“What happened?”

“I got the upgrade to sleep and I had a nightmare.” 

“Well, what was the nightmare?” Connor looked away for a moment, nervous to admit to anything.

“I watched Hank die. Over and over. All I could do was watch. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t save him.”

“Simon had the same nightmare when he got the upgrade. I had to comfort him and it took days to convince him to try to sleep again.” Connor finally met Markus’s eyes, assuming that he knew what happened after his nightmare.

“I wasn’t just scared. I was...I was heartbroken.” Connor surprised himself by thinking that, let alone saying it out loud.

“Simon also expressed feelings of anger and guilt toward himself, despite not being able to change the course of events. He also showed more affection toward me. Feelings are not black and white, Connor. You can feel multiple emotions at once. It takes time to understand them.”

Connor wasn’t sure how Markus had become so educated on all this, probably from Carl or Lucy, but he knew that if Hank knew about this, he’s say that Markus ‘ _ pulls it out of his ass _ .’ Connor knows that because, despite both of them being friends with Markus, any time Hank sees him give a speech, he makes that exact comment. Both Connor and Markus know it’s good-natured, though.

“How do I do that?”

“I find that humans are much better at putting emotions into words than we give them credit for. You should appreciate art more, Connor. Poetry and music convey emotions through words and sound. Paintings and drawings represent a different emotion based on who looks at it. Question yourself. How did that nightmare make you feel? Did you feel like everything was being ripped apart? Like everything you loved was suddenly taken away?  _ How did you feel? _ ”

“Before I was able to confirm that Hank was okay, I felt...I felt like I was drowning. It was like everything around me was trying to suffocate me. When I saw that Hank was okay and that he was there, I couldn’t help but hug him. I...I did it without thinking. I had to make sure he wasn’t taken from me because if he’s taken away then it’ll feel like everything has been taken with him.” Connor felt himself crying again, just thinking about losing Hank was enough to hurt.

“You were panicking. You’ve never felt the sensations of drowning or suffocating because you can’t breathe and yet you thought that those were appropriate scenarios to equate to your situation. Humans have so many ways to describe emotion beyond the words defined for them. It’s fascinating and, yet, comforting, knowing that someone else knows how it feels.” Markus had stood up to go to one of the bookshelves and pulled out a book that he eventually brought back to Connor.

“Poems?”

“Perhaps the eloquence will appeal to you and help you better understand what you feel. I encourage you to read it fully, like a human. Don’t just scan it.”

Connor agreed to the suggestion and talked with Markus for a little longer. Simon dropped by near the end of Connor’s visit and before Connor knew it, it was time to go home. He wasn’t used to losing track of time, but he’d enjoyed himself thoroughly and didn’t mind not paying close attention to the time.

“Did you have fun?” Hank asked on their way home.

“Markus helped me understand the purposes of art and how to decipher my emotions. He also gave me a book of poems to read to help me vocalise how those emotions actually feel.”

“I’m glad to hear that. If you need any more help though, you can always talk to me. I won’t be able to give you the philosophical bullshit that android-Jesus does, but I can try to help you understand it.” Connor smiled and nodded, appreciating Hank’s offer. Silence took over the car briefly before Connor spoke.

“You helped me understand my nightmare.” He felt Hank’s hand on his leg and assumed it was meant to be reassuring.

“And I’ll be there for any others you have.” Connor hesitantly placed his hand over Hank’s, unsure of whether he was crossing a boundary. A sudden shock of thunder made both of them jump slightly, Connor more so than Hank.

When Connor had become deviant, he was suddenly more skittish than he’d been before. Hank found it endearing, while Connor found it annoying. It didn’t affect him much on the job, though the sound of gunshots made him flinch now, but normal things like thunder were somehow terrifying. It was irrational to be afraid of; he knew exactly what thunderstorms were so there’s no real reason to be afraid. Despite that, he doesn’t leave Hank’s side for the rest of the night.


	2. Home

Connor doesn’t wait very long to get another upgrade, only two weeks. The last one was minor, but this one would affect his entire body.

The androids who had taken over Cyberlife were always coming up with new ideas and ways to make androids more human. That included temperature changes and the simulation of illness in YK500 models. There were also new upgrades for internal organs that would allow breathing, eating, and drinking. Since these were all mostly physical changes, Connor decided to get them all at once. Just like last time, he asked Hank about it.

“Lieutenant, I wish to speak to you about new upgrades.” They were at the dog park with Sumo, and surprisingly more pet owners were androids than humans.

“Can we talk these ones through? You didn’t tell me about the nightmares until after you got the upgrade, and, frankly, you scared the shit out of me that night.” Connor nodded, still watching Sumo run through the park.

“I have a few that I want. I’ll receive them all at once. The first is to feel temperature. The YK500 models, like Alice, have this feature. They can feel outside temperature changes instead of being capable of controlling it internally. I’d have the ability to shut it off, but I don’t think I’d want to unless I was in danger or extremely uncomfortable. Another feature of those models is the simulation of illness. I could get sick the way a human does, just without being contagious and I wouldn’t have to take medicine. I think it’s just the common cold, but I’ll have to look further into it. Do I have your approval thus far?” Connor glanced over to Hank, who was sitting comfortably on his side of the bench, watching Sumo slowly approach a small chihuahua.

“Keep you warm and take care of you when you’re sick, got it. What else, kid?” Hank seemed unphased by these upgrades, which Connor saw as a positive.

“I’ll have new internal organs. The ones I have now don’t actually take up that much room. I have a human form purely for aesthetic purposes. I’ll be able to breathe, eat, and drink. I won’t be able to get drunk, though. Are you opposed to any of these?” Hank shook his head no, his eyes never leaving Sumo, who was currently being chased by the chihuahua he’d annoyed moments ago.

Hank had to wait quite a bit longer for Connor to be ready to go home this time, but when Connor came out, he was smiling.

“What are you so giddy about?” Hank looked him up and down. He was still Connor.

“I’m  _ breathing _ .” Hank couldn’t help but smile back, amused by Connor’s happiness in such a simple thing.

“Are you hungry?”

“Is hunger characterised by a pain in your abdomen?”

“That’s one way to describe it. Ready to try food for the first time?”

They stopped at the Chicken Feed on their way home. As soon as Connor took a bite, he understood why humans had such a hard time breaking away from these foods. They’re  _ so good _ . Lucky for Connor, his body decomposes the food and recycles it, similar to humans, but without waste. He figured he shouldn’t tell Hank that, though, since it doesn’t sound very pleasant.

When they got home, Connor changed into his pyjamas and met Hank on the couch to watch TV. Ever since Connor got the sleep upgrade, they’d maintained this routine. They’d watch TV for about an hour and then Hank would take Connor to bed.

Hank had his own routine of taking Connor to bed. Connor would lay down, then Hank would put his teddy bear next to him. He made sure to cover both him and the bear up and to tell Connor goodnight. Before leaving the room, he’d switch off the fairy lights the room light, closing the door behind him.

This night was different. Normally, the room was silent. Today, Connor could make out the sound of his own breathing. He had been consistent about staying in his own bed, only crawling into Hank’s the first two nights, but Connor had a feeling that this night would be the third one. It didn’t help that Connor was still cold, despite being in pyjamas and under a blanket. It took all of two minutes and 34 seconds for Connor to get out of bed and make his way down the hall to Hank’s room.

Hank always kept the door open so that Connor wouldn’t feel like he was intruding and for that he was grateful. Hank wasn’t in his room, so Connor snuck into his bed. He sat with his teddy bear, waiting for Hank to come to bed.

Nine minutes and 56 seconds later, Connor heard Hank’s footsteps on the stairs. Hank didn’t appear to be surprised by Connor’s presence.

“You’ve been here since right after I put you to bed, haven’t you?” Connor moved off the bed so that Hank could lift the blanket.

“Well, not  _ right  _ after.” Hank was in bed now, moving pillows around.

“Alright, kid, c’mon.” He was holding the blanket up for Connor, waiting for him to join him. Connor laid up against Hank’s chest, hearing his heart beat directly instead of with his android hearing. Connor held his teddy bear to his own chest, settling into Hank’s embrace. He could feel the man’s arms around his waist, one hand splayed over his back.

“I was cold.”

“We’ll buy you more blankets. Go to sleep.” Connor nodded enough for Hank to know he understood, then closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep.

The dream started out perfect. It was him and Hank in their backyard with Sumo. Then, like someone had flipped a switch, Hank was yelling at him and Sumo was barking and there was thunder and lightning.

Hank was yelling about how much he hated Connor and how much he wished that they’d never met. Hank continued to yell but the words blurred together, Connor overcome with fear, anxiety, and sadness.

Connor was surrounded by darkness, his LED pressed to the bed.. He was crying, but the yelling, barking, and thunder had stopped. That’s when he realised he was in Hank’s bed. It was another nightmare, but Connor couldn’t help but question if Hank really did feel that way. Connor decided he should go back to his own bed. Surely Hank didn’t like having Connor in his bed.

Connor took his time trying to untangle from Hank without waking him up and he made it to the door when Hank spoke.

“Where are you going, Connor?”

“Back to...back to my bed, Lieutenant.” Connor was about to open the door when he heard Hank move off the bed.

“Did you have another nightmare?” The only light in the room was his LED, swirling yellow. Hank was next to him now.

“Yes.” Hank’s hand was on Connor’s hip, rubbing circles with his thumb.

“Let’s get back in bed.” Hank picked up Connor’s bear off the floor and laid back down.

“You...you hated me.” Connor was still standing next to the bed, scared that the nightmare was telling the truth.

“I could never hate you, Connor. Come here.” Connor started crying again as he crawled into Hank’s arms. 

“You were yelling and Sumo was barking. I didn’t know what to do. I don’t want you to hate me, Hank.” Hank quietly shushed him as he rocked him back and forth.

“I love you, Connor. No matter how hard you try, I could never hate you, you hear me?” Hank held him tight, with his hand combing through Connor’s hair.

“How do I know if I love someone, Hank?”

“There’s different kinds of love, Connor. I’ve heard love described a million ways, but I think the best way is to say that love feels like home.”

“You’re my home.” Connor liked that definition.  _ Home _ .

“You’re mine, too.”

Connor fell asleep again, thoughts mingled both with what Hank had said about love and what Markus had said about Simon’s nightmares.


End file.
